School election is Tuesday, February 14

Voters will decide the outcome of a bond measure (Proposition 2) for Vancouver Public Schools in two weeks. Ballots were mailed to voters who live within the district’s boundaries on Friday, Jan. 27. The election is Tuesday, Feb. 14.

At least 26,996 people must cast votes either for or against the measure to validate the results of the election. That number is 40 percent of the total number of votes cast in the last general election.

When combined with the existing bonds, the bond rate is projected to be $1.52 per $1,000 of assessed value for tax collection years 2018–2020 and then drop to $1.35 per $1,000 of assessed value starting in 2021.

For the owner of a median-priced $225,000 home, the change in the VPS bond tax rate is approximately $20 per year for three years.

The three-year educational maintenance and operations levy, approved by voters in 2016, will cost $2.68 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2018. The technology levy, approved by voters in 2013, will cost $0.23 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2018. With approval of the bond, combined local school tax rates would be $4.43.

Vancouver Public Schools’ previous bond measure was approved by voters in 2001.